Alex Salmond has dismissed warnings from his predecessor as first minister, Jack McConnell, that this summer's Commonwealth Games could be politicised by the Scottish independence referendum.

The first minister said it was "nonsensical" to suggest that the 2014 Games in Glasgow, staged only eight weeks before the referendum, on 18 September, would be overshadowed by campaigning after McConnell called for a political "truce" during the Games.

However, the sports event was too significant for that to happen, Salmond said, adding that Labour and Scottish National party politicians had already put politics aside to first win the Games for Glasgow and then work in close partnership to stage the contest.

"There's no reason to have doubts about this whatsoever," he told BBC Scotland. The Games "are going to be the most enormous success for Scotland. It's right and proper that people will debate politics, but the idea that politics will overshadow the Games is nonsensical."

But McConnell, the Labour first minister Salmond defeated in the Scottish elections in May 2007, said he knew that athletes, organisers, musicians and artists preparing for the Games were worried the event could be exploited by both yes and no campaigns fighting for advantage.

Speaking in advance of a speech in the House of Lords later on Wednesday, McConnell told BBC Radio Scotland there ought to be a two-week rest by both campaigns during the Games.

Claiming there was "genuine concern" among competitors, cultural performers and Games officials about the dangers for the event, he said: "Campaign relentlessly between now and then, and of course afterwards. But for that two-week period, let's concentrate on Glasgow and Scotland and winning some gold medals for Scotland.

"I don't think it is a lot to ask both sides of politicians to lay off for that fortnight."

He didn't want "any of the organisers, any of the athletes or any of the cultural performers to be distracted or concerned [that] what they say, do or achieve might be exploited or used by either side in the aftermath".

McConnell said a truce had been called during the 1997 Scottish parliament referendum campaign, after Princess Diana was killed just over a week before the poll: that showed politicians could act in the public interest if they wanted.

Given the global focus on Scotland during the Games, in which Scotland will field its own national squad against England, the political temperature is expected to rise, particularly given the use of the 2012 London Olympics by anti-independence politicians.

The Glasgow Games will be followed immediately by the main, official first world war centenary remembrance service at Glasgow Cathedral – a commemoration seen by pro-unity campaigners as evidence of the UK's powerful shared history. Commonwealth leaders including David Cameron are expected to stay on in Glasgow to attend that service.

As the largest sporting event staged in Scotland's history, the Games have featured heavily in the government's efforts to play up the country's strengths and influence during the referendum year.

But Salmond insisted no party or campaign would want to tarnish the event by exploiting it for political advantage, saying: "You just don't do that with something as important for Scotland."

The fact there had been cross-party work on the event for nearly seven years between his Nationalist government and Labour-controlled Glasgow council was clear proof of willingness to put political allegiances aside on the issue, he said.